Black-eyed Bean and Spinach Salad ( mavromatika )

Black-eyed peas are wonderful as a soup but you may discover after trying this recipe equally enjoyable as a salad. This recipe is a vegans delight but you may want to know it is a mediterranean staple during the summer. I use dried black-eyed beans soaked in water for 1 to 2 hours. Once they are soaked, they cook within 20 minutes.

One cup of dried beans make approximately three cups of soaked beans. Very economical .

Black-eyed beans and Spinach salad

Black-eyed beans have incredible health benefits and if you would like to eat more nutritionally dense foods, then black-eyed beans should be incorporated into your diet.

I make this salad during summer as it is a delight and refreshing to your typical green salads. This salad has a high protein content so you don’t have to worry about accompanying it with a high protein food item.

Black-eyed beans when boiled give off an odour. Don’t be concerned, once your done boiling that odour disappears.

Ingredients

1/2 cup dried beans

2 cups English spinach or finely chopped silverbeet.

1 small red onion finely chopped

1/4 cup spring onion finely chopped

1/4 cup flat-leafed parsley

1/4 cup dill ( optional )

Dressing

Pinch salt and pepper or to taste

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

Silverbeet we’re used in this particular occasion as I cook seasonally and this was prolific in my garden at the time. Feel free to use English spinach.

Method

Soak peas in water and ensure hebeans are completely immersed in the water.
Soak until the skin is starting to peel off. This should take 1 or 2 hours, it’s ok to leave longer if you decide to do this while your out of the house. Leave in a cool place.

Strain and then boil for 20 minutes.

Soak the dried beans – pictured black-eyed peas

inse the peas well and place in the fridge to cool while your chopping your greens.

Finely chop the remainder of the ingredients. It is important they are not coarse sized pieces.

Mix the peas and your chopped greens together.

Beat the dressing ingredients together with a fork as if your whisking until the ingredients turn into a whitish semi-glazed hue.

Add the dressing only when your ready to eat the salad.

You could prep the salad store in the fridge then mix in the dressing when your ready to eat.